Vape critics accuse RJ Reynolds of marketing to kids
A subsidiary of the tobacco giant is promoting fruit-flavored vaping pods with colorful, scented mailers.
An RJ Reynolds subsidiary is marketing fruity-flavored vaping pods to adults, drawing fire from critics who accuse the tobacco giant of using a strategy similar to the "scratch and sniff" ads the company once agreed to ban 20 years ago. These ads targeted flavored cigarettes, which the company faced a lawsuit from 39 states over, alleging violations of an agreement to prevent marketing flavored tobacco products to minors.
Brian King, a former FDA tobacco regulator and executive vice president at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, believes the company hasn't learned its lesson, as it's now employing the same marketing tactics for a different tobacco product, which remains the most widely used among US youth.
King flagged the promotional materials sent to state and federal authorities for investigation. RJ Reynolds maintains the ads were only sent to verified adult nicotine consumers who had opted-in to receive Vuse-related communications. The company insists their products are meant exclusively for adults and that responsible marketing is paramount in complying with applicable laws and regulations.
The debate over flavored vape policy intensified earlier this year when President Donald Trump urged then-FDA Commissioner Marty Makary to approve fruit-flavored e-cigarettes for adult use despite the FDA's reservations about potential harm to children. In response, the FDA adopted a policy allowing the sale of many flavored e-cigarettes still under agency review.
King urged the US government and state attorneys general to take notice and take action, warning against complacency as companies blatantly violate laws known to drive youth appeal for tobacco products.
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